I am thoroughly enjoying the NBA playoffs. I’m a Chicago Bulls fan and, perhaps as penance for having won six titles in the 90s and having Michael Jordan, we are perpetually stuck in mediocrity. So I’m watching the NBA playoffs without a rooting interest. I loved the just-finished series featuring the Golden State Warriors against the Sacramento Kings. This was a classic matchup between a young upstart franchise with loads of talent and a veteran team that has won four championships in 8 years. By the time it hits your inbox on Monday, the aging Warriors will have upset the Kings as a seventh seed. Steph Curry had a Game 7 for the ages, dropping 50 points on the road.
The Warriors play such beautiful basketball. Most people focus on Curry and his otherwordly ability to shoot threes, move without the ball, and drive to the basket. But when the Warriors are at their best, the entire team plays with symmetry and joy. They’re passing is the best in the league. There is such a unity here that is just beautiful.
I wrote a bit about this idea in my forthcoming book, Agents of Grace:
Most of us don’t wake up in the morning and think about unity, but we appreciate it when we see it, whether it’s the perfect synchronization of Olympic crew, the silent symphony of working automobile, or the spectacular sight of a winter flock of geese, flying in V-formation, toward warmer climes.
Unity is woven into creation, from delicate environmental ecosystems to the harmony of human body’s many interdependent systems. Many moving parts, working in chorus, is what gets us up in the morning, gets us to work in the morning, and gets us home at night. When one things out of tune, when there is a discordant note in our day, we feel it. A pain in our joints. An oil leak in the minivan. A natural disaster in our town.
The Bible speaks of this kind of togetherness when it comes to the way Christians relate teo each other. When we think of Christian unity, perhaps we don’t often envision the seemless teamwork of an Olympic rowing team. Instead, it may seem like something sappy and sentiment like a bunch of religious people holding hands in a weird circle around a campfire.
However, this togetherness—is an essential part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
When you hear the word unity don’t, then, think of sappy songs around a campfire but about multiple parts working together to produce something beautiful. Like Warriors basketball.
Some Things I’ve Been Working On:
The latest World column is on some tough choices facing Youtube Creator Mr. Beast.
The latest podcast is with Matthew Bennett of Cedarville on hope for evangelicals and living as a missionary in your home country
Here’s a new review for the 9 Marks Journal on Peter Leithardt’s book, As In Heaven.
I’ve got two or three other cool things in the works, but can’t share them yet.
Some Things I’m Reading:
The Wall Street Journal finds that the happiest people in America are church ladies. As a pastor, I was not surprised by the findings.
Peggy Noonan with a sober warning about the perils of AI.
A great interview with Ed Stetzer and David Platt. I had the opportunity to spend some time with David last week and, as always, came away with a renewed passion for the church, missions, and Christian unity.
Sam James, who is always worth reading, listened to the podcast, The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling, and had some astute observations.
Emily Belz with a thorough report on PEPFAR, the bipartisan initiative of President Bush that saved over 20 million lives in Africa.
I loved this perspective by Giannis on failure in sports:
I thought these comments from conservative CNN commentator Scott Jennings on school closures during COVID were really heartfelt:
Books I’m reading:
I just finished Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri and it was fantastic. I did the audiobook, read by the author, and I highly recommend it.
Still working through Biblical Critical Theory but almost finished.
Just started Don’t Hold Back by David Platt
About to start listening to Bibi: My Story